Kane Te Tai was fighting in Ukraine when he was killed in action. Photo / Supplied
Additional reporting from RNZ
The body of a slain New Zealand soldier in Ukraine will be escorted back home by his uncle, costing the whānau more than $65,000.
Kane Te Tai was killed in action while clearing a trench last week in the Vuhledar region, his parents said members of his unit in Ukraine are currently with him so he is not alone.
They said his uncle will travel from New Zealand to Ukraine to bring Te Tai back through Poland to his parents and marae.
Te Tai has been described as an “extraordinary soldier” and “incredible man” by Kiwi K.A.R.E’s Tenby Powell who met him in Ukraine.
Powell spoke with the Herald on Monday following news of Te Tai’s repatriation. His organisation is currently taking seven retired St John ambulances to Ukraine for support.
He confirmed he’s playing the role of liaison between the family and MFAT to ensure a smooth process.
“[It’s] not without its complications,” said Powell.
“It’s a lot of moving parts, there will be an examination of the body and a post-mortem, the Ukranians are very thorough but the process is not without its complications.”
According to Powell, the body is either already in Kyiv or headed to the Ukrainian capital, where it will lie in a morgue as the repatriation process is carried out.
The repatriation company will arrange the logistics of the return, an appointed undertaker will coordinate the timings with the NZ Government and Customs.
Te Tai was a member of the International Legion of Ukraine. Powell said the legion is holding a ceremony for him “as they should, he was a good soldier for them”.
“But in terms of the tangi, that will be arranged by the undertaker.”
The date for Te Tai’s funeral has not been set due to a lack of clarity surrounding when his body will arrive back in New Zealand.
Powell confirmed Te Tai’s uncle will fly to Ukraine in a week or so, but the return of the body comes down to Ukraine’s timings, the family “don’t know when that will be”.
“We’re getting all our ducks in a row, it’s up to the family to coordinate this process privately.”
Te Tai’s whānau met with the family of the Ukrainian man he saved a few weeks before his death, the family is also raising money to pay for the repatriation through a Givealittle page.
“It’s a big cost but we’re blessed with a generous-spirited New Zealand public,” said Powell.
“[The public] has got behind a number of fundraising initiatives which will go into the Te Tai’s bank account to go towards the recovery.”
Just a week earlier, a video had gone viral of Te Tai finding and saving a long-lost friend, Alex Gordeev, who had been starved and tortured by Russians.
Gordeev’s cousin yesterday met with Te Tai’s brothers in Brisbane to pass on their gratitude and support the grieving family.
“He was a highly-respected soldier, loved by many,” said Powell.
She was stabbed repeatedly in the face, upper torso and abdomen by a man in her home.